FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 214, 7 September 1923, Page 7

FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT.

i. EN EDEN TERRACE. ! VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. ; [ The inquest touching tlie death of . i Peter Coyle. au elderly man, who- on I j Friday, August 31. fell from a moving j I tramcar in Eden Terrace. and sus- I s I tamed severe injuries, from which he i , died in the hospital early the follow- ( j ,n g morning, was concluded before the j 1 ! coroner. M. VV. K. AleKean, S. M., this f I morning. , Annie Coyle. wife of deceased, said i c she last saw her husband about 9.:!0 \ , a.m. on Friday. August .'{lst. at which t hour he left home for Auckland. He -v was then in good health, aud his tight and hearing wo* good. ■ , Ahred Thomas Arthur. tramway 1 ■motorman, who was in charge of ear ' 1 j No. 130 on Friday, August 31st. said c I that he arrived at Virginia Avenue j i stop at C.:-i7 p.m. .lust before the car , \ I stopped he saw Mr. Coyle standing on : the front platform, and called out to < him. -Don't jump; wait till the car ■ stops." When the car was still moving <■ deceased got oIT and fell. When picked ( up he was unconscious, and remained ( so until taken to Haslett's chemist's ; shop. it Other evidenfe was given that de- r ceased left the front compartment ami <• stood on the platform, later either r jumping or falling off. The car was j j travelling slowly, and the brakes -were t applied promptly. t j Dr. E. T. Dawson. resident medical , i officer at the Auckland hospital, stated j that deceased was unconccious on ad- . mission r.nd was suffering from* a ] depressed fracture of the occipital < region. There were slight abrasions on ( 'the pcalp. In witness's opinion the j I ease was hopeless. Death was caused - t by compression and laceration of the j brain substance, due to depressed frac- j r ture of the occipital region. | The coroner returned a verdict that j death was due to injuries following an | accidental fall while attemptinp to alight from a moving tramcar.